This invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovery of natural gas liquids. In one aspect the invention relates to a method and apparatus for the recovery of natural gas liquids by partial condensation, flashing, and compression. In another aspect of the invention it relates to a control system to be utilized in the recovery of natural gas liquids by partial condensation, flashing and compression. In a further aspect of the invention it relates to a method and apparatus for controlling minimum and maximum temperature of partially condensed feed hydrocarbons to a natural gas liquid recovery system.
Condensable hydrocarbons are valuable products contained in natural gas. Refrigerating natural gas to recover a maximum of readily condensable hydrocarbons from the gas is an established practice in the industry. The most economical operation of such a process involves continuous unattended operation. The recovery of natural gas liquids involves partial condensation, flashing, and compression of flashed vapor. To assure continuous unattended operation of such a process it is necessary to have a control system which can accommodate not only minor variations in feed gas volume and composition but also serious disturbances such as mechanical malfunction of compressing means.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved control system for regulating the temperature of the feed stream to a separating means in a partial condensation natural gas liquid recovery system. It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for the recovery of natural gas liquids. It is still another object of this invention to provide economical method and apparatus for recovering heavy hydrocarbons from natural gas containing the same. It is a further object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for the separation of natural gas liquids from natural gas without requiring external refrigeration. It is another object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for controlling the process of separating natural gas liquids from a natural gas mixture. It is a further object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for bypassing flow around a condensation, condensate flashing, and flashed vapor compression system, determining bypass volume in view of compression means availability.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a study of the disclosure, the drawing and the appended claims to the invention.